Pigeon Bundleflower

Desmanthus pernambucanus

Native to:
Aruba, Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guam, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Netherlands Antilles, Palau, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, United States, Uruguay, Windward Is.

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Desmanthus
Species:
Desmanthus pernambucanus
USDA Symbol:
DEPE4

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb , Subshrub
Height:
100 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
may,jun,jul,aug,sep
Bloom Colors:
white, cream

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Butterflies & Moths:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
bees, butterflies, birds
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts from rootstock after fire; adapted to prairie fire regimes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
fertile, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
native to tropical and subtropical regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Scarification:
Seed coat scarification required before sowing
Germination Time:
7–21 days
Notes:
Scarification of hard seed coat required for good germination. Hot water treatment or mechanical scarification effective.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI